TEXAS – A travel alert remains in place from the Centers for Disease Control in areas plagued by Zika; viral disease that can cause birth defects if a pregnant woman is infected.

Now, researchers are working to stop the virus from spread.

Medical researchers are developing a vaccine to help prevent the spread of the disease and one Texas company, Tekton Research, is looking for volunteers. They are both looking for men and women who plan to travel to affected areas, like Central and South America. Additionally, they are looking for women who are planning to have children. 

Zika caught the world's attention after the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Tekton's medical director, Dr. Paul Pickrell said more than one million people have been infected since.

While mostly asymptomatic, there is strong evidence that Zika causes birth defects, which is why researchers are pushing to have a Zika vaccine in the market by 2020.

"They're all fast tracked because there's such a desperate need when we look at what happened in Brazil," Dr. Pickrell said. "I think they say 1.5 million people who were infected with the virus over the course of two years. There's no doubt in the U.S., it's only a matter of time before we start seeing Zika affecting our citizens here."

The Texas Department of State Health Services reported three Zika cases in the state, so far. All were transmitted while abroad.

If you're interested in taking part in the study, you can call Tekton Research at 512-388-5717 or go to their website.